Risk to get malaria in Thailand

Risk for individual travelers to get malaria in Thailand is not the same. Some individual may carry higher risk than the others. Risk to get malaria depends on many factors such as

1. Destination. You have NO risk if you travel only in Bangkok, Pattaya, Samui island, Phuket and the urban area. You may have some risk if you travel in the forested area or in the border area. Please see malaria map in Thailand below;

2. Duration of stay. This factor is straight-forward. The more you stay in the jungle area, the higher risk you carry.

3. Activity during travel. Mosquito that bring malaria usually active in the night time especially in dusk and dawn. Any travelers who have activity during that time carry higher risk than travelers who do not have the outdoor activity at night.

4. Seasonality. There is a seasonal variation of malaria risk in Thailand. The highest risk is in the rainy season.

5. The use of protective clothing, bed net and insect repellents.

6. Others

So according to the above factors, please keep in mind that risk for any travelers are not universally equal. But why could we say that the risk for someone to get malaria in Thailand is very, very low. And how low is the risk? Here are some information;

1. According to the study in United Kingdom reported in 1996. The risk for UK travelers to get malaria in Thailand was 1:12,254.

2. One study in 2005 published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases estimated the risk for travelers to get malaria in Thailand equal to 1:50,000.

3. Our hospital (Hospital for Tropical Diseases) is the main referral hospital in Thailand that take care many malaria cases per year. We found that in the 6 years period (2000-2005), there were only 21 travelers’ malaria in our hospital. Moreover, only 3/21 cases really acquired malaria in Thailand. So it is rare to find a case of traveler that really get malaria in Thailand.

So we might say that the risk for general travelers to get malaria in Thailand is very low. So this is why we do not recommend the use of antimalarial medication in Thailand.

However if you would like to travel outside Thailand, such as Myanmar, Lao PDR, Cambodia. The risk may be higher in Thailand, you should consult with qualified medical staffs in this issue.

Hello
I’ve recently been to Thailand for three weeks of which I spent 1 week in Umphang and then proceeded to travel to Canada where I am now. After arriving here I feel a bit sick and may have had a little bit of a fever, too. I didn’t go to a doctor because it just feels like a slight flu. (Maybe I’m paranoid and over reacting and it just the Jet Lag and the big temperature difference I’m not used to) But do you think I could have malaria and should see a doctor?

Hi! I will be teaching english in the town of Bangsaphan in Prachuap Khiri Khan province from November-March. I really do not want to take antimalarial pills, but I am a bit nervous, because my town is not too far from the border of Burma. What are your thoughts?

I will be in North Thailand in June 2017. My fiance lives in Phayao.
I have read a lot of the comments and replies on here, and have come to the conclusion that
Thailand is not a malaria high risk area.
I should just use some sort of insect repellent when outdoors and all should be well while visiting Phayao?

I went on a 3 week trip to Bangkok and Chang Mai with my daughter of 4 years old.
We got back a week again and she has cold we went to the doctor I mentioned I was in Thailand. He said that it is just a simple cold. However then I told my father that she has a cold and he started with Malaria now I am really worrying could this be the beginning of Malaria how likely at this period there is Malaria?

The incubation period of malaria is usually between 2 weeks to several months. Malaria usually associated with high grade fever, respiratory symptoms is not common. It is good that you mention to your doctor that you and your daughter have been to Thailand. Unfortunately we cannot give any specific advice/recommendation according to your daughter’s symptoms. Please discuss with your doctor about your concern.

Thank you for this informative article, it is very important to have this kind of info before travelling, specially to places like Thailand with big jungles and open up nature. As travellers we need to take all the preventions in order to live a full and happy experience.

Hello. I am planning on staying in Pai for about four weeks in November, training Muay Thai, doing some motorcycle trips in and around the area, etc. Are there any shots or medications that you would suggest? (FYI, I’m 60 year old from US and traveling alone.) Thank you.

Hello. We are wanting to Travel to Thailand in December with out 2 year old and 3 month old baby. We will be mainly in Bangkok and Puket. Would you recommend us traveling with a 3 month old in terms of health safely?

we are a family of 5 (2 adults and children of 2, 7 and 10 years) going to Thailand in December 2017 to Bangkok, Hua Hin and Koh Samui. According to the above, I am concluding that we should not take malaria pills. Is that correctly understood?

I am going to thailand in two weeks
I am going to Bangkok, overnight train to Khao Sak staying in khao sak in raft houses on lake and jungle resort, then Koh Phi Ph, then Koh Phangan, then Koh Samui

I was prescribed Lariam but after reading the side effects of anxiety depression etc (I already have anxiety) I decided I don’t want to run the risk of my anxiety getting worse. Wondering if I should go back and get another script for a different type of anti malarial? Is my itinerary high risk?

Hello, right now I am in Thailand since one month. I’ve been travelling in the provinces Chumphon, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Kanchanaburi. During that time I also went to national parks like the Sam Roi Yod National Park. Since 3 days I have a unregular fever and feel dizzy especially when standing. I don’t have any chills, headache and no muscle pain. Yesterday I went to hospital and was tested negatively on Dengue Fever. Do you think with these symptoms it is possible that I have Malaria? What should be the next step?

Malaria should be in the possible list of all fever developed after or during visiting risk area. Anyway, we cannot give specific medical advice in this blog including your case. By the way, if you have fever, or not getting better or have any concern; it is recommend to see a doctor again.

Hello, I am travelling in Thailand since 6th of April mostly in touristic area (Hua Hin, Jomtien, Koh Samet, Koh Chang, BKK) but since yesterday I am in Isaan (Nong Kung Si, Sahatsakhan, Kalasin area) until 30th of April. Yesterday night in our resort I got biten by mosquito altough I am using mosquito repellent. Now I fear of Malaria. I have a anti malaria tablet with me which my Austrian doctor gave me for my trip. STADA 250mg Atovaquon/100mg Proguanilhydrochlorid. Should I take them for safety reasons as prophylaxis or not? Many thanks for your answer and best regards.

There’s nothing to be worried at this point. Not all mosquito carry malaria. In fact, very, very few of them did carry malaria. However, you should go to see doctor if you have fever. Anyway, just enjoy your trip and continue measure against mosquito bite.

There are some risk of malaria in the rural area of Srisaket especially near Thai-Cambodian border. Anyway, the risk is not that high. We do not recommend to use antimalarial medication to prevent malaria in Thailand. Just prevent yourself from mosquito bite and aware sign/symptoms of malaria.

Hello, I’m writing a comment again as the previous one seems to have disappared. So, me and my husband are travelling from bangkok to chiang mai, staying there 6 days, maybe having a trip around, up to Pai and also visit some park if possible. Then, off to Cambodia, and then back in Thailand to Koh Lanta and Koh lipe. Would you think, at least regarding for Thailand, these areas are highly at risk right now?
Thanks again,

Hi !
We are flying to Thailand (Bangkok) tommorow (5th July), with my girlfriend.
But we heard that she is pregnant, since 3 weeks now…
I don’t want to take any risk, and we are afraid of the antimalarial medication(so we’ll not take it), especially because she’s pregnant.
So we want to stay in Bangkok first, then Koh Samui (and maybe others islands around like Koh Pha Ngan, or Ang Thong National Park), and then around Phuket, and then come back in Bangkok
Do we take any risks ? Can you give us some advices ? Thank you very much for your answer.

According to your itinerary, your risk to get malaria is extremely low especially if you use insect repellent regularly when going outdoor. We do not recommend her to use antimalarial medication also. Just use insect repellent.

Hi, I am planning to travel to Koh Kut (Koh Kood) and Koh Chang with my 7 year old daughter. Is there still a risk of malaria there? Unfortunately mosquitoes ‘love’ my daughter and she often gets bidden even with all normal preventions in place.

Hello, in one week, we will be in thailand.We go to bangkok, then take a train to chiang mai, stay in chiang mai 4-5 days with a trek during 2 days around chiang mai.After, we go tophuket and koh llanta.Is there a risk for malaria? Do we need to take medication.? Thank you for your answer

In early December we will fly to Bangkok and would like to learn kitesurfing. Now we do not know whether it is better to go to Phuket or Chumphon especially concerning malaria.
Chumphon seem to be affected by malaria?
Can you give us some advice, where to go best?
I´m asking because one of us is pregnant.
Thanks, greets Dirk

Hi, Im traveling to Thailand in November, we will be travelling up to Chiang mai, then up a bit to Sappong, for a 3 day hilltribe trek to the Long Yao caves, im not sure if this goes ino the risk area,
thanks Rachel

Will be spending couple of days at Koh Samui and then travelling from Surat Thani to Bangkok with the night train. Is there a risk of malaria in such a case? Especially on the train? any pills recommended? thanks in advance.

We will be travelling by train from Hua Hin to Chumphon in February. We will stay overnight in the Novotel and travelling on to Koh Phangan the next morning. What are the malaria risks at this time and should we take medication?

We are traveling from Bangkok and into the jungle around Kanchanaburi for 3 days, staying overnight in the jungle as well. Afterwords we are taking a bus south for Koh Tao and Koh Samui. The total duration of our stay in Thailand is 14-15 days.
Would you with this information advise us to take Malaria preventives?
Thank you in advance.

i leave in samui for 6 years i never take any pills i nevers get any thing exept aliment intoxication du to a i stupid pharang who make a paella i known some travellers take some medication as lariam very good for the stomach don t take any thing if you wish to die in samui isn t from the malaria

[…] get malaria in Thailand is very, very low. You may ask how low? please read this article “Risk to get malaria in Thailand”. Most part of Thailand is malaria free. We do have some risks but confine only in the jungle and […]